Minister of Defense - Pistorius in Niger - first ministerial talks after the coup
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has offered the military government in Niger, an important security region, a continuation of cooperation projects. The SPD politician said on Tuesday in the capital Niamey, where he met the Nigerien General and Defense Minister Salifou Modi, that the suspended construction of a military hospital had also been discussed. It was the first visit by a German minister since the coup against the democratically elected government almost five months ago, which has since lost international support.
"I said on behalf of the German side that we are interested in resuming cooperation projects," said Pistorius. There had been an open discussion. "Even after the takeover, we didn't stop everything. We left our military advisor here. We left the special forces in Niger. We left the Nigerien soldiers in training with us. We have not burned all our bridges, which is good and right," he said. It is important that Germany and other partners get involved in this region.
Pistorius also visited the more than 100 German soldiers still stationed at the Bundeswehr air base on the outskirts of the city. The future of the military base is unclear. Before the coup, there were plans to expand the base. It was to be used for Germany's humanitarian efforts and those of European partners, as well as a hub for military engagement in the conflict-ridden region - including a role as a springboard for special forces.
Deteriorating relations with Germany
The military took power in Niger on July 26. The country was previously regarded as the last democratic partner of Europe and the USA in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region ("anchor of stability"). The military had justified the coup, which was publicly supported by many inhabitants of the capital, with the security situation and poor governance. The coup sparked fierce international criticism, including threats of military action by neighboring countries. In the meantime, the self-appointed transitional government under the former head of the presidential guard Abdourahamane Tiani has re-established itself as an international partner.
Previously good relations with Germany have deteriorated since the coup. On the Nigerien side of the border with Mali, for example, a convoy with German military goods from the terminated UN mission Minusma is now stuck in customs clearance. In two cases, the land transports were attacked by extremists or armed gangs, as was reported on Tuesday. In two verbal notes, Niger informed Germany that the removal of military equipment and the return of the German Minusma contingent from Mali to Germany must not take place via Niger.
The rulers in Niamey - who pursue a policy of open rejection against the former colonial power France - have recently also gone into confrontation with other EU states: For example, the smuggling of irregular migrants in Niger - an important issue for the EU - is to remain unpunished in future. The military junta repealed a law to this effect, which was part of Europe's strategy to stem migration across the Mediterranean.
Cooperation between the two countries since 1961
Niger is one of the most important transit countries for African migrants traveling to Europe. The EU has been working with Niger since 2015, primarily to block the migration route from the Nigerien desert city of Agadez to Libya.
At the beginning of December, Burkina Faso and Niger, like Mali before them, declared their withdrawal from the G5 Sahel regional organization founded in 2014. At the same time, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov visited Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The three neighboring states, which are plagued by Islamist terrorist groups, had previously announced the establishment of their own military alliance. Yevkurov signed a memorandum on defense cooperation with Modi. Mali and Burkina Faso are also already working together with Russia.
Modi, formerly his country's military attaché in Germany, referred on Tuesday to the long-standing cooperation with Germany since 1961: "There have been ups and downs and in the last five years the cooperation has been very active, especially in the fight against terrorism. We continue to see projects that are important," Modi told journalists. Cooperation with foreign troops should be put on a new formal footing and always be dependent on the Nigerien assessment of the situation.
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Source: www.stern.de
